Educational Activities

Educationa activities

Educational activities

courses accessible to everyone

specific courses based
on experience

Our courses are open to everyone and offer different concepts depending on the participants’ prior experience. In fact, we offer various programs for beginners as well as for those who already have professional-level knowledge and experience with horseback riding.

For beginners

The goal of equestrian schools is to teach people how to ride, so don’t hesitate to give it a try. Have an open conversation with the instructors about your riding level or any fears you may have, so they can assist you during the lessons.

The basic principles

CLOTHING

All new riders must wear a helmet with safety standards, commonly referred to in equestrian terms as a “cap.” If you don’t have one, the school will gladly lend you one. You should wear long pants and a shirt (never leave your stomach or shoulders exposed). Clothing must fit properly, as oversized clothes can scare the horses. Remove any dangling jewelry and empty your pockets of keys and mobile phones. Shoes should be flat with a small heel. Avoid running shoes or work boots, as you need to be able to slip out of the stirrup in case of a fall. Gloves are optional but recommended. Long hair should be tied back with hairbands.

WHAT TO DO AT THE RIDING SCHOOL

If you are a new student, try to arrive at the riding school a little earlier to try on the helmet we will lend you and to fill out the various forms.

HORSES: HOW TO BEHAVE

The school horse is assigned to the student based on what the instructor believes is the most suitable for them, considering the horse’s temperament and personality, age, and the student’s riding skills. The combination of horse and student is given the utmost attention. The instructors will teach you how to behave each time, but generally:

Do not shout or make sudden noises to avoid scaring the horses;
Do not walk behind the horses;
When leading your horse, always keep it at an appropriate distance from other horses;
Do not leave your belongings on the ground to avoid the horse stepping on them;
Do not wrap the lunge or reins around your hands;

If you have any doubts, ask your instructor.

LIVE THE HORSE

Before getting on the horse, try to deepen your relationship with it. You can do this by petting it, bringing it some carrots to eat, or helping the groom with its care. This way, the moment to ‘mount the saddle’ will come without too many fears. Do it gently, being careful not to drop your weight onto the saddle, but sit down softly as if there are fragile things between your bottom and the saddle that shouldn’t be broken or crushed. Remember, it is important to be relaxed and natural; you should mount with ease, remembering to breathe normally. Anxiety and rushing should be avoided at all costs in order to ride well. Avoid using too much physical force and rough methods, instead, favor patience and sacrifice in order to learn the correct ‘riding position.’ Always try to ‘assist’ the horse, at first, using your legs, voice, and being careful not to obstruct its natural movements. A very important thing to remember is not to ‘pull on the mouth’ to find your balance, meaning do not apply too much pressure on the reins. Mentally repeat from time to time: shoulders open, hips forward, chin up, and loose head, with arms naturally hanging towards your body. When you need to turn with the horse (more or less in symbiosis), remember: your gaze should always anticipate the direction.

THE HORSE'S MOODS

There are various behaviors we can observe to understand the mood of our horse:

When the ears are forward and the head is raised, it means the horse is interested in its surroundings, but also in a state of alertness;
When the ears are perpendicular to the head, the horse is calm, curious, and attentive;
Ears back and lips pulled back indicate that the horse is experiencing strong anger and discomfort;
Ears forward and muzzle raised indicate that the horse is trying to understand, observe, and evaluate;
When the ears are relaxed and open, the horse is calm and not fearful;
When the ears are pulled back, the horse is experiencing fear and discomfort.

For advanced students

For experienced riders, our team will be happy to help enhance your horseback riding skills. The instructors will assess your level and will be available to assist you if you need help or have any questions.

The basic principles

THE RHYTHM

Rhythm refers to the interval between the beats on the ground. In trot and canter, this interval is also regulated by the duration of the suspension phase: the longer the suspension phase, the slower the rhythm of suspension.

THE DECOMPRESSION

Decompression refers to the looseness and muscle tone of the horse throughout the work. It is a willingness to engage in athletic exercise, which does not arise from the need to satisfy a basic need (eating, drinking) nor from the threat of punishment, but from a psychological condition of trust in the rider and a concentration ability determined by the rider themselves.

THE CONTACT

Contact refers to the elastic, constant, and calm connection between the rider’s hand and the horse’s mouth. The constant contact, provided by the rider’s hand and created by their propulsive aids, allows the horse to find natural security to move with regularity and balance at all gaits.

THE IMPULSE

Impulse refers to the horse’s full willingness to work, demonstrated by the engagement of the hindquarters and the elasticity of the back. It is expressed qualitatively in terms of the ability to ‘push weight and carry weight’ without losing balance, and in relation to the level of training.

THE STRAIGHT HORSE

For the horse to make the best use of the thrust produced by the hindquarters, it must be musically symmetrical and therefore necessarily straight.

THE REUNION

Collection refers to the horse’s ability to carry weight on the hindquarters while simultaneously pushing it forward and upward. The main goal of flat work is to train a horse in such a way that it is not only comfortable to ride and willing to carry out the rider’s requests, but also able to stay healthy for as long as possible. For this reason, it is important that the horse’s weight, along with that of the rider, is evenly distributed across the four limbs.

THE GAITS

The natural gaits of the horse are three: walk, trot, and canter. Each gait has a well-defined motor pattern, called the rhythm of the gait. By varying the amplitude of the movements, rhythm variations are achieved. Choosing a rhythm that is too fast or too slow can cause alterations in the rhythmicity of a gait, which, especially in dressage, constitutes a significant deterioration of the gait itself.

WALK is a symmetrical and rocking gait, where the horse’s limbs move in diagonal pairs, one after the other, in four well-defined beats that remain regular throughout the walk.

TROT is a two-beat gait separated by a period of suspension, where the horse advances in diagonal pairs with simultaneous contact of the front and rear limbs corresponding to each other (left front and right rear, and vice versa). In the trot, the neck performs its balancing function by remaining steady.

CANTER is a three-beat, jumping, asymmetrical, and rocking gait. In a right canter, for example, the beats occur in the following order: left rear, left diagonal, right front, followed by a period of suspension before the start of the next stride. The quality of the canter is judged by the overall impression, the regularity, and the lightness of the three beats resulting from the acceptance of the bit, with a soft poll, the engagement of the hindquarters from the activity of the hips, as well as the ability to maintain the same rhythm and natural balance even after a transition from one canter to another. The horse must always remain perfectly straight on a straight line.

Gallery

The walk is divided into medium, extended, and free.

Medium walk: This is a firm, regular, and relaxed walk with moderate extension. The horse, kept in hand, walks with decisive strides, broad and regular, with the hind hooves stepping in front of the hoofprints of the front hooves. The rider should maintain a soft contact with the horse’s mouth.

Extended walk: The horse covers as much ground as possible without rushing or altering the rhythm of the gait. The hind hooves clearly step in front of the hoofprints of the front hooves. The rider allows the horse to stretch its neck and move its head forward without losing contact with the horse’s mouth.

Free walk: This is a resting gait, where the horse is given complete freedom to lower its head and stretch its neck.

The trot is divided into collected, working, medium, and extended.

Collected Trot: The horse, maintained by the hand, moves forward with a raised and rounded neck. The hind legs, fully engaged, carry weight and maintain the energy of the impulsion, allowing the horse to move easily in all directions. It becomes lighter and more mobile.

Working Trot: This is an intermediate gait between the collected trot and the medium trot, where the horse shows good balance. The horse moves forward with uniform, elastic strides, and active hind legs, emphasizing the importance of the impulsion coming from the activity of the hindquarters.

Medium Trot: This is an intermediate gait between the working trot and the extended trot. The horse moves forward with determination, and the rider allows the horse to lower its head and neck.

Extended Trot: The horse covers as much ground as possible and stretches the stride to the maximum, driven by a tremendous impulsion from the hindquarters. The movement of the front and hind legs should be similar at the moment of extension forward.

The Canter is divided into collected, working, medium, and extended.

Collected canter: The horse moves forward with a raised and rounded neck. The shoulders are free, mobile, and soft. The horse takes shorter strides but is lighter and more agile.

Working canter: This is an intermediate gait between the collected and medium canter. In this phase, the horse maintains good balance, moves forward with lightness, and keeps the hips active.

Medium canter: This is an intermediate gait between the working and extended canter. The horse moves forward with determination, and the impulses from the hindquarters are stronger. The horse carries its head slightly ahead of the vertical, and the movement should be extended and effortless.

Extended canter: The horse covers as much ground as possible, maintaining the same rhythm, and fully extends its strides without losing its lightness, thanks to a powerful impulsion from the hindquarters.